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Scientists at the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park are doing some great work. They're looking after the park on Hawaii's Big Island, and they're looking for a little bit more.
But back in August, while the park's marine biologists were conducting coral reef monitoring, they found a doozy – when they picked up some floating plastic debris, there was a tiny octopus among the trash.
Although a Facebook post about the tiny octopus got a bit of traction, the cephalopod really became a star when the US Department of the Interior tweeted about them this week.
The park's marine ecologist Sallie Beavers told The Associated PressOctopus cyanea) or night octopus (Callistoctopus ornatus) – both species which are found off Hawaii.
Both of these species can grow to quite large sizes, with up to several kilograms (6.5 feet).
But this baby was only the size of a pea.
Do not stress though – this one has every chance of making it to an adult – the researchers let it go not long after.
"On there [sic] next dive, our Geoscientists in Parks Intern Ashley Pugh released the octopus safe and sound in a small protected space, "the researchers wrote in the Facebook post.
Obviously, ocean plastic pollution is a huge problem, whether or not it's pristine islands like Hawaii or at the bottom of the ocean. Our plastic pollution is even spreading from our oceans into our food sources in weird ways.
That affects everything from wholesome tiny octopuses to us.
But as the team commented on the later, these babies are not quite as wholesome as they look.
"Another baby octopus taken by the dive team (again found on plastic debris) attacking and killing a baby crab," they wrote.
"Maybe they are not so cute?"
We'll let you be the judge.
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